How to Stay Cool in a Seattle-Area Heat Wave

Published on:August 02, 2017

It's been a beautiful warm summer so far, and now it's time to swelter. We've rounded up our coolest ideas on, well, staying cool. We have a how-to on a DIY swamp cooler, a guide to the most kid-friendly coffee shops with A.C., and the best spray parks, fountains, lakes and beaches around. Heat wave? We're not sweatin' it.

Kid-friendly coffee shops

Then there are those days that you just want to chill out with a latte (or maybe get some work done) while the kids play, preferably in a setting with A.C. Check out this awesome list of kid-friendly coffee shops, many of which have A.C. and play areas.

Cheap movie seats

What's better than escaping a steamy day with a cheap trip to the dark, air-conditioned cave that is a movie theater? This summer, with the help of this cheap seats guide, your family can share the big-screen tradition for some very retro prices.

Henry Moses Aquatic Center

Outdoor pools and water parks

Outdoor pools and water parks are an all-day solution for a heat wave. Our outdoor pool guide points you to where to have fun with wave pools, simulated surfing pools, lazy rivers, zero-depth (beach-like) pool entries, aquatic play structures and slides, slides and more slides.

Beach adventures

It’s tough to beat a summer’s day at a favorite beach: watching the kids sprint toward sand and water, followed by hours of wading, building sand creations and treasure hunting. In honor of beach magic, we've spotlighted 14 local beaches that should be on your summer bucket list, for gloriously different reasons. Or take a trip to Jetty Island for a full day of beach fun!

DIY swamp cooler

Stuck at home with no A.C. in sight? ParentMap friend Jennifer Bardsley (of Teaching My Baby to Read) sent instructions for a DIY swamp cooler along with an image that shows how she did it.

She says, "Using a sharp knife, cut out two holes on the side of Styrofoam cooler. Insert two bottomless plastic cups. Cut out a circle on top of the cooler's lid and place the fan face down. Fill the cooler with ice. Important note, the ice cannot be wrapped in plastic because it needs to be exposed to the breeze of the fan." Thanks, Jennifer!

Editor's note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated for August 2017.